Charles Awurum is one of the highly rated comic-actors in Nigeria any mother would want for a son-in-law. But this was not to be as the mother of his ex-girlfriend rejected him after he proposed to her daughter and went ahead to fix a date for their traditional wedding. Feeling rejected and heartbroken, Awurum later found his wife in a church, and, today, he’s better off for it. Ten years down the line, and with three big boys to show for the success of his marriage, Awurum can only be grateful to his maker for turning his Creator into dancing. He recounts his story in this encounter.

When he got married

I have been married for over 10 years now. I married in 2006, and the marriage is blessed with three boys. My wife, Ifeyinwa Linda Awurum, is everything to me. I married her at the time God wanted me to settle down.

Married his friend

I married not only my friend but also an integral part of me. My wife is my friend, my sister, my mother and my everything. I am happy I got married to her. I have a good wife and a happy home. That is why God didn’t want me to rush into marriage.

Before he met wife

I almost married my former girlfriend from Nnewi, Anambra State. But, unfortunately, her mother didn’t like our relationship. At that time I was living in one-room apartment in Enugu. Trouble started when I visited her in their house. It happened that there was blackout that day, and when I asked why they were in darkness, her mother quickly replied, “Buy us generating set.” I jokingly replied her: “The person you want to buy a generating set for you, does he have any?”

From that moment, she became violent and warned her daughter to avoid me. She told me outrightly that her daughter would never marry a man living in one-room apartment. Initially, I thought it was a joke until it dawned on me that she meant every word she told me. In an effort to stop her daughter from seeing me, the mother conspired with her family members and sent her to Lagos. However, after one year of losing contact with her, I joined her in Lagos.

While in Lagos, I made efforts to finalize plans to marry her. I proposed to her and she accepted. But in the heat of the preparation for our traditional wedding after we had fixed a date for it, the unexpected happened. Her mother sent words to me that the wedding would not hold. ‘What was the problem?’, I asked in anger. She replied: “The family wouldn’t allow her to marry outside of their locality.” I felt very bad and somewhat humiliated. But to my surprise, when I called my girlfriend to ascertain her position on the issue, she supported her mother.

Praying for a wife

At that point, some of my friends advised me to call off the relationship. Meanwhile, I was ready for marriage. But after she disappointed me, I resolved to seek the face of God . For the first time, I was fasting from 6 am to 3pm for 7 days, asking God to give me the strength to move on, and forget everything about her. It’ was not easy to forget somebody who had been a round you for a long time. I also prayed to God to show me my own wife, and remove shame from my face by lifting me financially to enable me rent a befitting apartment.

So, when I ended my fasting, a lot of things started happening in my life. I started getting scripts. Importantly, I met my wife the same year in church. I went to church to pray on the eve of a new year. As I was about to enter the church, I saw a beautiful damsel walking towards me. We exchange pleasantries and, immediately, I fell in love with her.

I had known her family in the past. I immediately approached her and ask her to escort me to my family house. There and then, I introduced her to my mother and she welcomed her. Before I knew what was happening, my mother had gone to see her people on my behalf. She was very happy because she thought I was not ready to settle down. She had made several attempts in the past to get a wife for me, but it didn’t work out. At the end, we got married in April, 2006. Interestingly, my ex-girlfriend came back after I got married, but then it was too late.

After 10 years, what marriage has taught him

Marriage has taught me so many things. Marriage makes a man to be focused and responsible.

When he is not on set

I am a loving husband and a father to my children. I am a professional artist. When I am given a script, I do my best to interprete the character very well, and when I’m done, I return to my family. Sometimes, people see me as an unserious person. But my wife and my children know that I am a serious person. It is said that a wife makes the home while a man gets the house. Once I’m not on set, I go back to my house.

Wife watches his films

She likes watching my films. In fact, each time I return from set, she would be anxious to know what transpired while I was on set. Sometimes, she reads my scripts.